MULETOWN'S FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN

DOING COMMON GOOD for Columbia

By Kathy Fox

You know the story, teenage Peter Parker, AKA superhero SpiderMan, was bitten by a radioactive spider giving him superhuman strength. Along with his strength, he gained speed, agility, the capability to climb walls, and that special “Spider-Sense” to detect danger before it happens. Believe it or not, Muletown has its own friendly neighborhood Spider-Man who can climb buildings and has superpowers to make people happy, one smile at a time.

On a recent photoshoot, we ran into Spider-Man in his trademarked red-and-blue costume near the square in downtown Columbia and saw him use his superpowers firsthand. As Spidey said, “I think because of these past two years dealing with COVID, it's a good time to make people smile. We need to make people feel happier and united, and it is nice that Spider-Man can do that. For the most part, everyone is excited to see Spider-Man especially when I stop and take a picture with them.”

While we were chatting with Spidey, passersby would stop to take pictures with him or yell from their cars, “Hey Spider-Man!” Adults, kids, and even teenagers would walk up and ask if they could take a picture with Spidey. Their reactions were priceless.

The identity of Muletown Spider-Man is of course top secret, but he started dressing up as Spidey in October 2021. During the week, he works construction in Columbia Monday through Thursday, and on the weekends Spider-Man tries to make as many appearances as he can. “One of my most memorable encounters was when a mom and her friends stopped their car so her son could take a picture with me. The mom took a picture and then sent me a message saying, ‘Thank you so much Spider-Man. I love what you're doing! God bless you,’” recounted Spidey, “I just loved that!”

I THINK BECAUSE OF THESE PAST TWO YEARS DEALING WITH COVID, IT'S A GOOD TIME TO MAKE PEOPLE SMILE. WE NEED TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL HAPPIER AND UNITED, AND IT IS NICE THAT SPIDER-MAN CAN DO THAT.

Currently, Spidey wants to stick to strolling around town, meeting people, and being a part of the community. However, he didn’t rule out at some point in the future making special appearances at events or parties. He said, “For now I’m focused on being a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and I think that is the best way to go.”

When Spidey is not out fighting the Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus or out meeting fans, during his spare time he likes to hang out with his family (you got it, Muletown Spider-Man is not an orphan) and his girlfriend (no it’s not Mary Jane). He also is always looking for ideas and ways to make his Spider-Man gadgets better and the suit look even cooler. In addition, he mentioned he is working on flips and backflips to improve his tricks while he’s swinging from building to building in downtown Columbia (and no he can’t really do that, his web-shooters are currently broken).

If you are lucky enough to see Spider-Man lurking on a rooftop or walking around Columbia, make sure to take a picture with Spidey and SMILE! Don’t forget to post it on Instagram and tag Spidey at @muletown_spiderman and @maurycountyliving too. You can also use the hashtag #muletownspiderman.